CRITICAL MIND
JF-Expert Member
- Sep 1, 2013
- 416
- 404
Request to Mods&Admin.
Kindly leave this thread here as we need to have an informed discussion on how our media and politcians have manipulated us for their own gain.
Waswahili wanasema mwenye macho...haambiwi ona. We all know that for the last couple of years, our politicians have set out to do something new and remarkable...yes, they've handed over many of the functions of our bunge for example, its role as the dominant source of information for many Tanzanians about the executive arm of the state - to our mediocre newspapers.
Indeed Tanzanian's modern politicians have awarded an ''almost'' constitutional role to the media by building it up as an alternative to state institutions(or the least that are worthy the title). Our representative ''democracy'' has steadily replaced by what a system of govt which has been anything but selfaggrandising,populist and of course contemptuous of Tanzania's traditional institutions and liberties, intolerant of the judiciary and more importantly hostile to the rule of law.
Lets not kid ourselves, we all know during this time (last 18 years) our mediocre press and uselessbroadcast media have normally failed to hold our politicians to account. The biggest disasters of my adult lifetime - The MV Bukoba fiasco, Mererani deaths, the EPA's, BOT TWIN TOWERS, DOCTORS STRIKES, ZANZIBAR FERRY DISASTERS, ATC, STATE HOUSE CORRUPTION, The invasions of Anjouan, the economic policy errors,- were all cheered on by none but the bulk of our own useless mainstream press.
Jamii Forums single handeldly has done more for this country than all the newspapers, radio and TV stations combined.
Now the rulers of the day have banned two rags and all hell has broken lose. Our not so clever journalists are looking for the sympathy from the public and I'm sure I speak for many that Tanzania's press as a whole is pretty mcuh a manifestation of corporate, financial and political dominance. Yes, on rare occasions, some of our useless politicians can be fiercely criticised in the media(there's often agenda behind), but only very rarely has Tanzania's press stepped in any meaningful sense into a role that we all can agree holds power to account or perhaps checks serious, ongoing abuse. Normally our press often aligns itself with the govt of the day and has always taken the side of the powerful (Mafisadi/the ruling elites) against the weak(walalahoi/the working class).
So I will never lose sleep just because the Govt of the day has shut two rags and I wont care if all of them were shut. They are good for nothing.
The only hope Tanzania has are the netizens who will INFORM& EDUCATE the masses through twitter, whatsapp and more importantly JAMIIFORUM/MEDIA
Kindly leave this thread here as we need to have an informed discussion on how our media and politcians have manipulated us for their own gain.
Waswahili wanasema mwenye macho...haambiwi ona. We all know that for the last couple of years, our politicians have set out to do something new and remarkable...yes, they've handed over many of the functions of our bunge for example, its role as the dominant source of information for many Tanzanians about the executive arm of the state - to our mediocre newspapers.
Indeed Tanzanian's modern politicians have awarded an ''almost'' constitutional role to the media by building it up as an alternative to state institutions(or the least that are worthy the title). Our representative ''democracy'' has steadily replaced by what a system of govt which has been anything but selfaggrandising,populist and of course contemptuous of Tanzania's traditional institutions and liberties, intolerant of the judiciary and more importantly hostile to the rule of law.
Lets not kid ourselves, we all know during this time (last 18 years) our mediocre press and uselessbroadcast media have normally failed to hold our politicians to account. The biggest disasters of my adult lifetime - The MV Bukoba fiasco, Mererani deaths, the EPA's, BOT TWIN TOWERS, DOCTORS STRIKES, ZANZIBAR FERRY DISASTERS, ATC, STATE HOUSE CORRUPTION, The invasions of Anjouan, the economic policy errors,- were all cheered on by none but the bulk of our own useless mainstream press.
Jamii Forums single handeldly has done more for this country than all the newspapers, radio and TV stations combined.
Now the rulers of the day have banned two rags and all hell has broken lose. Our not so clever journalists are looking for the sympathy from the public and I'm sure I speak for many that Tanzania's press as a whole is pretty mcuh a manifestation of corporate, financial and political dominance. Yes, on rare occasions, some of our useless politicians can be fiercely criticised in the media(there's often agenda behind), but only very rarely has Tanzania's press stepped in any meaningful sense into a role that we all can agree holds power to account or perhaps checks serious, ongoing abuse. Normally our press often aligns itself with the govt of the day and has always taken the side of the powerful (Mafisadi/the ruling elites) against the weak(walalahoi/the working class).
So I will never lose sleep just because the Govt of the day has shut two rags and I wont care if all of them were shut. They are good for nothing.
The only hope Tanzania has are the netizens who will INFORM& EDUCATE the masses through twitter, whatsapp and more importantly JAMIIFORUM/MEDIA
